Wasteland
by LetterGun
Summary: From a cozy live in the middle of England, Allen had to take the long road over to the USA. Chicago was his designation after he got a letter that was talking about serious business. In the dark of the underworld you need to know who you can trust and you need to become tough to survive. Its only a matter if you are able to become numb to your own feelings. Yullen and LaviLena


Snow was falling on a crown of hair that was as white as the frozen water itself. It was in the middle of November, a young boy was running down the way to the little church he knew so well. The way was completely covered with fresh fallen snow and so every of his steps made some cracking noises. Suddenly he stopped and looked into the sky before he arrived at a little side door. It was some kind of queasy feeling he suddenly had. Something would change, soon. He didn't know why or what, but he had this nagging feeling. Maybe he could blame the season. When the snow was falling down and the days became darker, he just felt a bit atrabilious. A few snowflakes felt into his face that was marked by a red scar over his left eye and cleared his blurred mind. He just shove a last gaze into the gray endlessness. With a last breathing out, he finally entered the church through the door.

The room he stepped in was warm and lighted by a few candles and a fireplace that was the cause of the cosy warmth in it. "I'm home again." he said and knocked off some snow from his boots that were now building some little puddles on the stoned ground. Before he stepped further into the room he looked over to the main light source. In front of the fireplace was a worn out armchair in which an old woman was sitting. Thick wads of smoke were coming from a cigarette that was stuck between her lips. From what the boy could see when he stepped closer, was that she were kind of dozing. He reached out to take the cigarette away. He had told her so many times not to doze off while smoking.

"So you are finally back, huh?". the woman suddenly spoke up to him without even opening her eyes.

"As you can hear, it's really cold out there, I will bring some more firewood next time." he answered a smile visible on his lips and took his hand back to let it slide into his jacked instead. He put out a bunch of letters. They were living like twenty minutes away from the next town and in winter the postman often could not get to them, so the boy had to walk the way or.

"Allen, you are already back? Dear Lord you really look half frozen to death! Come, sit at the fire". A tall man had appeared bind him and shoved a chair near, so he could sit down. "Thanks Barba" the white haired said and sat down, afterwards he handed over the bunch of letters to the woman in front of him.

She finally opened her eyes and looked over them. "Bills, bills, bil...". For a moment she faltered and need to take a closer look at the letter in front of her. "Interesting..." she murmured and both, Barba and Allen looked at her in question. "There is a letter for you Allen, it is from Cross!" she then said and handed it over to him. The boy didn't know what to think. Why should the redhead and quite poorest excuse of and guardian and uncle, send him a letter? He looked at the address and his eyes became a littler constricted. The letter was mailed from Chicago, USA. So he was still in the United States? It now were almost three years since he left him behind and at this place that had become his home after his father died. He was ten as Cross took him and brought him here, to the old woman that was only called "Mother" by all people and Barba a strong and tall man with the innocent heart of a child. They had become his new family after a real bad time of suffering and he was thankful that they always took care of him.

So what was it that the redhead now wanted? "Just stop starring at it, open it!". The woman was obviously eager to now what the old man had to say and so Allen opened the letter. There were a piece of paper and some lines were written on it. So he started to read them out loud so Barba and Mother knew what his uncle had to say.

* * *

_Dear nephew,_

_the time has finally come grow up and to left your cosy and carefree home behind and become something less pitiful. I hope you enjoyed your time in this little Hicksville I left you and became at least a bit respectable. You soon will come to know what a big city looks like. I want you to come to Chicago and meet with me. We have some business to talk about. It has to do with the heritage of you father, so get your sloppy ass moving._

_In love, Cross_

_P.s. Don't dare to make me wait! There is a one-way flight and train ticked within this letter with the date you have to be ready._

* * *

While the white haired boy let his gaze run over the lines again and again, his grip on the paper get tighter and made it wrinkle. Really, what was that old man thinking? That he would just drop everything and follow his order, only because he suddenly felt the need to speak about some business he never knew it existed. He took the flight ticked and looked at the date. He had two days left until his flight and he would need a few hours to get to London. So what should he do now? He had the nagging feeling that he just should ignore the order, but at the same time, his uncle was speaking about a heritage of his father. He was just so wishing to know what his father had wanted to left him behind. He was standing between his mind and heart and he didn't know what would be the better decision. If he learned one thing from the time his uncle lived with them, then it was the he always caused trouble, most likely for the white haired boy. "So, what will you do?". The old woman asked and whiffed some more smoke into the room, waiting for the answer of the kid. Allen just looked down at the paper once more. "I'm not going." he said serious and just wanted to through the letter and everything in it into the fireplace. But before he could do so, Barba grabbed the letter.

"Wait, what if your father wanted to give you something important?" he asked the boy and pressed the letter onto his chest like it was something that needed to be protected from a false decision.

"My father gave me everything important he had, when he was alive. I don't know what kind of heritage he would have left for me that would be that consequential so my uncle needs to waste money on me to get me to the USA."

By now his voice had raised a bit and became slightly sour. The speaking about his father was still a red rag for him and he just don't wanted to be reminded.

"Besides, I can't just leave you both! Barba, you can't just take care of this old church all by your own and mother is to old for that kind of work" he then said and smiled caring.

"Did you just call me old, you little tot?" she hissed at him and stood out of her chair. It seemed Barba wanted to say something but the old woman stopped him "Do what you want, really I don't care if you stay or go, but have in mind that this might be your only chance!" she added with a reminding tone and left the room through another door, that leaded into the a little kitchen. Barba just looked at Allen and gave the letter back to him.

"Just do what you think it the best for you." he said and followed mother. The white haired boy was now sitting there, all alone with his thoughts. The only thing that disturbed the silent was the cracking sound of the wood in the fireplace. What should he do now? Mother was right, this was maybe his only chance. He don't wanted to remember about his past but he also could not let go of it. He looked down at the paper in his hands and then into the fire that was greedy devouring the wood. For a moment his hand was again wandering to the red flames, but then he pulled it back and stood up. He needed to sleep about this first, so he put the letter into his trousers pocked and followed the other two.

It was early in the morning and it finally had stopped snowing so Barba and Allen could finally shovel the footpath to the church free of all the snow. Even if he had school holidays by now, he still followed his daily works. While they did no one of them said a thing, but Allen could feel that the tall man wanted him to ask how he had decided. "You are so silent Allen, is something wrong?". The white haired just stopped for a moment and loosened the scarf around his neck because he was feeling hot from the shoveling.

"I'm fine, but was that really what you wanted to ask me?" he asked nicely and got back to work.

"Ha, you got me there." he said sheepishly and took one of his hands to rub over his forehead. "I just eager to know what you will do. Not that I want to rush you, but I want you to know that I can handle everything even without you! No, I don't wanted to make it sound like you are some kind of useless, I just..." the man suddenly had snarled himself in his own words and the white haired just smiled shaking his head.

"Barba, stop thinking about it, I made my decision already."

"So what will you do?"

"I will go."

"Really, why? Because of what mother said?"

"Kinda, I don't know why but the old Lady's words had some high impact on me!" And as he had said the last word, a snowball smashed right into his face.

"Didn't I told you to not call me old, you little titch!".

Mother was standing in the doorway and seemed to wait for them. "Breakfast is ready come in you two." And they did as ordered. Allen rubbed the cold snow out of his face and followed Barba into the house. The rest of the day was kind of normal, they did their regular work and as the evening came closer, Allen started to pack his bag for the next day. Slightly feelings of doubts were coming to his mind. At the beginning it felt so easy to just get over the fact that he had to leave his home behind. He didn't know what would await him over there. Suddenly he was kind of wistful and looked back at the last years he had spent here. His room felt so familiar, save and protective, like the rest of the old church. Maybe he don't wanted to hear it, but his uncle was right, he had to leave this place to grow up! It felt so strange to admin that his uncle was right in something he said and there he wondered if he had changed since he saw him the last time. What was Chicago like? He never visited such a big city before, he just had a few trips to London, but could you compare them? Well, he was about to get to know it. He went to bed earlier then usual to be ready at the morning.

And the morning came faster then he thought. The boy didn't slept very well. All the feelings he had thought about were bother him while he had tried and he was awake till deep in the night. So it was no wonder that he looked kind of bleary when he stood up. He managed to make himself presentable before we stepped down the stairs that leaded to his room and visited with Barba who was preparing the breakfast. Allen yawned as he entered the room.

"Good morning."

"Morning Allen, ready for...uhm you look kind of pale, are you feeling well?"

"Well, yes, I just couldn't sleep well."

"Haha, me either. I can't just believe you will be away in like an hour! But just eat something then you will feel better."

The tall man came over to him and shoved over a plate with delicious looking food. Allen could be everything, but nothing could held him back from a good meal, so he started eating. And really, he felt better afterwards, like always.

"I don't know how you make it, eating like a glutton but looking like a matchstick!"

Mother had entered the room and she also looked like she hadn't had much sleep.

"Look, even mother couldn't sleep because she will miss you, too."

"Rubbish!" she said and everyone knew she was not quite honest. Grabbing a plate, she placed herself at the kitchen table, waiting for her own breakfast.

"So are you ready? Have you took everything with you need?"

"Uhm, yes I think so!"

"Here, that for you."

The old woman shoved over a little batch of paper. Allen unfolded it and found money in it. He looked at her in question.

"Stop starring, do you think I let you go without some?!"

Allen Wanted to say something, but the older woman was speaking up faster.

"Stone the crows, before I let you go with nothing else but a bag of clothes. I know your uncle well, so take care of the money, better don't let him know you have it!" she said and lighted herself a cigarette.

The white haired boy didn't know what to say.

"Mother, I can't accept it!" he finally said and he really was touched by her sudden acting. She always had been a caring woman, she often only had a rough way to show it. But now it seemed she was really worried about him and he suddenly realized how much he loved her, both of them. It made it only harder to go away. He knew it would be not forever, but he also didn't know when he would be back.

"Just take it. You will need it, trust me!"

"But what about all the bills? You need the money for keeping the church in a good condition!"

"This church is much older then you and she will still be here when you come back, so take the bloody money!"

And that was her last word about it and even if Allen had told her to take it back, she just wouldn't take it, he knew it. So he thanked her very much and put it into his coat pocked as he had to leave.

Barba and Mother would stay at home, the street was still full of snow and the white haired would had to take the bus from the next town. They followed him to the little side door.

"Take good care of you and trust no one, I heard the whole USA is full of robbers and murder!"

"Mother, don't scare him!"

"I'm not scared!"

Allen put on his scarf and was ready to go, he never really liked goodbyes.

"Well, by then." he said but before he could turn to leave some arms were wrapped around him.

"Come back soon Allen, we will miss you so much!"

Barba's arms were slung around his body and he was weeping by now. That was to much, also the white haired boy could not stop himself from shedding some tears.

"Call when you arrive!" was all mother said with a kind of mumbling sad voice and left then, to go back into the church again.

After he managed to calm Barba and himself down, the young boy headed over to the little street that were covers with ice and snow. He would need some time to arrive at the town. He took out his Discman, the only modern thing he owned and listened to some music as he stepped forward on a long road to an unknown future.

* * *

_...A letter to my future self_  
_"Am I still happy?" I began..._  
_Have I grown up pretty?_  
_Is dad still a good man?_  
_Am I still friends with Coleene?_  
_I'm sure that I'm still laughing..._  
_Aren't I?..._

* * *

Welcome to my second try to come up with a good fiction~ I you managed to read till here, well you survived, wohoo!

I'm still trying to get better with the English language, I still think it sounds more interesting~ Could also be because it not my first language (still from Germany). But I will try my best to get better with the grammar and I hope to reduce my mistakes to a minimum! Well, this will maybe need some time, but if you like the way I write or to see how I (maybe) become better, you are welcome to give me tips and stay for the next Chapter~


End file.
